Carrier having gripping device for use with aerial ropeways



J. P. ROE, DEC'D.

L. J. ROE, EXECUTRIX- CARRIER HAViNG GRlPPlNG DEVICE FOR USE WITH AERIAL ROPEWAYS.

APPLICATION HLED WW3]: 1922.

J. P. ROE, DECD.

L. J. ROE, EXE-CUTRIX. CARRIER HAVING GRIPPING DEVICE FOR U S E WITH AERIAL ROPEWAYS.

' a APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1922- TLASfifilL Patented Nov. 28, 1922 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

J- P. ROE, DECD.

L. J- RUE, EXECUTRIX- CARRIER HAVING GRIPPING DEVICE FOR USE WITH AERIAL ROPEWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3!, I922.

" Patented. Nov. 28, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

unrrso STATES some reason son, nnonasnn, LATE OF LONDON, ENGLAND,

sxncurnrx, or Lennon, ENGLAND.

CARRIER HAVING GRIPPING DEVICE FOR PATENT Ot 'i E CE BY LUCY JANE ROE,

USE WITH AERIAL ROJPEWAYS.

Application filed May 31, 1922. Serial No. 564,944.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, Lucy JANE Ron, executrix of JOHN PEARCE Ron, deceased, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 6 Thyra Grove Finchlcy, London, N. 12, England, represcntthat JoiiN Pnanon lion is the inventor of certain improvements in or Relating to Carriers Having Gripping Devices for Use with Aerial Ropeways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference tothat type of load carrier suitable for supporting and transporting pendant loads on aerial ropeways of the mono-cable type, wherein the carrier is provided with gripping mechanism, comprising gripping levers so mounted or articulated upon a fulcrum pin within the carrier frame, that when the carrier with its load is applied toand supported by the said' rope, the weight of the load, acting vertically through the carrier will cause the.

gripping levers to close upon and then grip the rope, and conversely, the gripping levers will be released and allowed to move into their open position when the weightot the carrier with its load is removed from the rope and taken by a. shunt rail or equiva lent device by means of the wheels of the carrier engaging therewith.

In Such. a carrier the gripping levers have co .n'nonly been adapted to be moved into their closed and operative position. upon riownward movement of the carrier relativeiy to the fulcrum; pin, by toggles arranged between the upper-end portions oi. the le vcrs and the body of the carrier, downward movement of the lovers, when the carrier is moved upward relatively to the fulcrum pin, being limited by stirrup shaped stops on the carrier into which pins on the levers extend. In a modified arrangement, the up per ends o1 the gripping levers, provided with antifriction rollers, work in two separate oppositely inclined grooves formed in the carrier, the arrangement being such that when the carrier takes the load, the sides oi the grooves act to move the levers into their closed and operative positions, downward movement oi the levers, when the carrier is moved upward relatively to the fuls cruin pin, being limited by pins on the upper ends of the levers abutting against the lower ends of slots Formed in. the end walls oi the grooves.

load and are positively moved into their open and inoperative positions to release the rope by opening means arranged to act against other parts of the levers when the carrier is lifted relatively to the fulcrum pin by a shunt rail or equivalent, such opening means serving also to support the lovers vertically when. detached from the rope. The lever opening means may conveniently be constituted by abutment devices arranged on the carrier so as to abut against thelevers when the carrier is lifted relatively thereto. Or the leverl opening means may be constituted by a spring device carried by the levers and adapted to open the levers, when they are relieved of the weight of the carrier and cause them to become engaged with. supporting means on the carrier, as for example 1 with the roller opt-mating means therein. i

The formation of the inclined surfaces on the levers is such as to obviate the varying grip on the rope, resulting from t )ggles or the like heretofore 'llSOll, the leverage of which varies with changing angles, and in place whereo-li, secures a predetermined amount of pinrhor grip oi. the levers which remains practically constant throughout the gripping range of the mechanism and also provides for a rcpid opening and closing movement of the levers outside the gripping range, the inclined surfaces: being suitably shaped to bring about this eliect- The inclined surfaces on the gripping 1evers and the antifriction roller operating means for co -acting therewith and the abutment means, when used, may be arranged above or below the fulcrum pin on which the lovers are mounted.

The gripping levers in addition to being able to move vertically in relation to the carrier, are also so mounted in thecarrier that they van oscillatem a vertical plane corredevices in side view.

'wardly extending arm with jaw sponding to the longitudinal direction of the moving rope with which the carrier is used, so as to adjust themselves to any vertical angle or curvature imparted to the rope at or near the gripping point or points and thus avoid the objectionable stresses resulting from gripping devices that do not adjust themselves to rope angularity or curva ture when passing for example over supporting sheaves.

The accompanying illustrative drawings show various constructions of carriers with gripping mechanism of the kind hereinbefore referred to. In these drawings, Fig. 1 shows partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section and Fig. 2 in plan, one such construction. Figs. 3 and fare cross sections thereof on the line TIL-Ill of Fig. 1, the gripping devices being shown in their closed position in Fig. 3 and in their open position in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the effect of increasing the diameter of rollers to compensate for wear or to adapt the mechanism for ropes of different sizes. Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views to Figs. 3 and a respectively, showing a modified construction. Figs. 8, 9 and-1O show another construction, Figs. :8

and 9 being cross sections with the gripping devices in their closed and open positions respectively and Fig. 10 shows the gripping Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are similar views to Figs. 8, 9 and 10 respectively, showing another construction. Figs. l l, 15 and 16 are also similar views to Figs. 8, 9 and 10 respectively, showing another modified construction, Fig. 16 also showing part of the carrier frame in side vation. F ig. 17 shows in plan, Fig. 18 in cross section on the line X'VIIL-XVIII of Fi 17, and Fig. 19 in section on the line XIX-XIX of Fig. 18, a further modified construction. Fig.2O shows in plan, amodilied arrangement. j

In each example, a is the carrier frame with hollow extensions Z) to receive the upper end of a hanger to support the load to be carried; 0 are wheels journalled in the carrier and adapted to be engaged with a shunt rail (Z, or its equivalent, such as an endless secondarymoving rope or track, when the carrier with its load is to be removed from an aerial rope e. f, f, are two upwardly extending arms and f a downwardly extending arm with jaw f constituting one of.

the gripping levers F, and g is the upwardly extending arm and g the down 9 constituting the second gripping lever G, the arm being arranged between the arms f 7, and h is a fulcrum pin upon which the two levers are mounted.

In Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the two gripping levers F and G with their fulcrum pin it are loose and free'to move vertically in a elebox (4 forming part ofthe carrier frame a. The inner ad acent surfaces of the upper portions of the lever arms 7 and g are mclined, as shown at f" and g respectively to form a vertical space 2' between them to receive co-axial rollers when the gripping levers are moved into their closed positions, as shown in Fig. e, and are inclined outwardly and upwardly as shown at f and g respectively to admit of their passing below the rollers 73 when the gripping levers are in their open positions, as shown in Fig. t. The surfaces i g are arranged to form a slightly acute angle with one another, whilst the surfaces f" g form an obtuse angle to one another, when the gripping levers arein the closed and operative position shown in] Figs. 3 and 5. fit their outer edges, the levers F and G are formed with curved surfaces Panel 9 respectively adapted to co-act with companion cam or abutment devices m and it provided on the inner side of the box a The cam'device m may be integral with such box whilst the cam device n is detachable therefrom to admit of the gripping levers with their fulcrum pin it being inserted in the box. The rollers 7.: are carried by a spindle 0 capable of movement, in a longitudinal direction, in bearings in the box a The opposite outer sides of the lever F are provided with extensions G that act as guiding devices for the gripping mechanism within the box a without preventing oscillation of such gripping mechanism in the longitudinal direction. 7'' and g are lateral projections on the outer sides of the gripping levers to limit lateral movement of the levers when in their open position (Fig. 4).

As will be seen, with the arrangement described, when the carrier with gripping mechanism and load is applied to an aerial rope c, the lower arms of the gripping levers will bear on the rope and the weight of rope c and lift it relatively to the rope c,

the gripping devices will fall and come into contact with the fixed cam devices m and n which, acting onthe companion surfaces and 9 will cause small'variations in diameter of ropes to which the carrier is applied, and also to compensate for wear of the rope, the

surfaces f, g of the levers are slightly inthe falling levers to move 1nto the open position (Fig. l). To allow for clined to one another in the downward direction and made sufficiently long, as shown in Fig. 5, to permit the rollers 71; to act against them until the jaws of the levers grip the rope. To provide for greater wear, rollers of larger diameter can be used, as indicated by a dotted circle at 76* in Fig. 5. In Figs. 6 and 7 the cam devices to co-act with the cam surfaces 7, g of the gripping levers are constituted by endways adjustable screws m W.

In Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the upper ends of the gripping levers are connected by a coiled spring 7 and are made of concave shape as shown at i 9 so that when the carrier is raised relatively to the rope e by a shunt rail. (Z, the levers will be positively moved into their open and inoperative positions by the spring and their upper curved ends caused to embrace the rollers 70 so that they will then be supported thereby in their open positions.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13 the fulcrum pin it is arranged near the upper extremities of the levers F and G, and the surfaces 7, g and co-acting rollers 70, are between the fulcrum 7t and the gripping jaws f 9 In this case, the levers are shaped and arranged, as shown, so that their lower portions cross one another to admit of the weight of the carrier and its load, acting through the rollers 76, forcing the jaws f towards one another to grip the rope c (Fig 11). The upper arms 7 and g of the levers are bent outward to co-act with the top of the side walls of the box a which act as abutment devices to move the levers into their open position when the carrier with its load becomes detached from the rope by the shunt rail (Z (Fig. 12).

In Fi s. 14, 15 and 16, the gripping levers F and 1: are jointed to a fulcrum pin it arranged near their upper ends and the jaws f 9 are caused to grip the rope 6, under the action of the weight of the carrier and load, by rollers 70 70 connected to the carrier and acting against cam surfaces f 9" formed on the outer sides of the levers between the fulcrum pin and jaws. In this example the levers are mounted in a secondary box-like part a pivoted at a to the part a to admit of the gripping mechan ism readily oscillating in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rope e and 1n relation to the carrier frame of which the box a forms part. The rollers 70 are journalled in the part a and the upper arms 7 andg co-act with the upper ends of the said part a as shown in Fig. 15, to open the jaws f 9 when the carrier with its load is lifted off the rope e.

In the arrangements shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13 and Figs. 14, 15 and 16, the fulcrum pin it extends into vertical slots, one of which is shown at a", formed in the end walls of the box like part a or secondary box like part a In Figs. 17, 18 and 19 the fulcrum pin it carrying the gripping levers F and G is mounted in bearings a" carried by the lower portion of a secondary box-like part a adapted to move vertically on the box-like part 66 of the carrier a to which it is loosely ointed by a transverse pin f mounted in the carrier and extending through vertical slots a in the said box-like part a The arrangement is such as to admit of the gripping levers readily oscillating in the longitudinal direction of the rope with which they are engaged, under conditions such as hercinbefore mentioned. 7": are the rollers mounted on the pin 0 supported by the carrier 6 and adapted to close the levers and cause them to grip a movable rope as in the other arrangements. m and a are transverse pins carried by the box-like part a and adapted to act as abutment devices for positively moving the gripping levers into their open position when the carrier 7) is raised relatively to the rope with which it is used. In this example, the carrier comprises two main longitudinal members a-aconnected by spindles it upon the central position of which sheaves 0 are mounted, one of the said members a carrying the box-like part (6 to which the outer box-like part a is loosely connected as described.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the carrier frame a is provided with gripping mechanism at one end only and is provided at its other end with a saddle piece 5 that merely rests on the rope 6 without performing any material gripping action thereon. Fig. 20 shows an arrangement in which each end of the carrier frame (a is provided with gripping mechanism that may be constructed and arranged in any of the ways hereinbefore described but is shown like that illustrated in Figs. 1 to -51.

What I claim is 1. In a load carrier of the type herein re ferred to for an aerial ropeway, rope gripping mechanism comprising a pair of gripping levers the lower ends of which are adapted to grip an aerial rope between them and edge portions of which above said lower ends forz'ned with oppositely inclined edge surfaces, a fulcrum pin for said levers free to move in a vertical direction relatively to the carrier, means on said carrier adapted, on downward movement thereof relatively to said fulcrum pin to act against the opposite inclined surfaces on the levers and cause the levers to grip a rope, and means adapted. upon upward movement of said carrier relatively to said li ulcrum pin to cause the lovers to become disengaged from the rope.

2. In a loud carrier of the t ne herein referred to for an aerial ropeway, rope gripping mechanism comprising a pair of gripping levers, the lower ends of which are adapted to grip an aerial rope between them and edge portions of which above said lower ends are formed with oppositely inclined edge surfaces, a fulcrum pin for said levers free to move in a vertical direction relatively to the carrier, an antifriction roller, on said carrier adapted, on downward move ment thereof relatively to said fulcrum pin to act against the opposite inclined surfaces on the levers and cause the levers to grip a rope, and means adapted, upon upward movement of said carrier relatively to said fulcrum pin, to cause the levers to become disengaged from the rope 3. in a load carrier of the type herein referred to for an aerial ropew'ay, rope gripping mechanism comprising a pair of gripping levers the lower ends of which are adapted to grip an aerial rope between them and edge portions of which above said lower ends are formed with oppositely inclined edge surfaces a fulcrum pin for said levers free to move in a vertical direction relatively to the carrier, means on said carrier adaptech on downward movement thereof relatively to said fulcrum pin to act against the opposite inclined surfaces on the levers and cause the levers to grip a rope, and abutment means mounted on said carrier adapted upon upward movement of the carrier relatively to said fulcrum pin to act against and cause the levers to become disengaged from the rope.

4. In a load carrier of the type herein re ferred to for an aerial ropeway, rope gripping mechanism comprising a pair of grip ping levers the lower ends of which are adapted to grip an aerial rope between them and the adjacent inner edge portions of which above said lower ends are inclined in opposite directions to one another, a fulcrum pin for said levers free to move in a vertical direction relatively to said carrier antifrictien roller means on said carrier, adapted on downward movement of said carrier relatively to said fulcrum pin, to pass between and act against the adjacent oppositely inclined edge portions of said levers and cause the lower ends of said levers to move into their operative positions to grip a rope between them and means adapted, on upward movement of said carrier rela tively to said fulcrum pin to cause the levers to move into their open and inoperative position to release a rope from between them.

5. In a load carrier of the type herein referred to for an aerial ropeway, rope gripping mechanism comprising a pair of gripping levers the lower ends of which are adapted to grip an aerial rope between them and the adjacent inner edge portions of which above said lower cues are inclined in :1 i ,eece i J.

opposite directions to one another, a fulcrum pin for said levers free to move in a vertical direction relatively to said carrier antifriction roller means on said carrier, adapted on downward movement of said carrier relatively to said fulcrum pin, to pass between and act against the adjacent oppositely inclined edge portions of said levers and cause the lower ends of said levers to move into their operative positions to grip a rope between them and abutment means mounted on said carrier adapted, upon upward movement of the carrier relatively to said fulcrum pin to act against and cause the levers to become disengaged from the rope,

6. In a load carrier of the type herein referred to for an aerial ropeway, rope gripping mechanism comprising a pair of gripping levers a fulcrum pin for said levers free to move in a vertical direction relatively to said carrier, said levers having adjacent gripping aws below said fulcrum pin and adjacent oppositely inclined edge por tions above said fulcrum pin the upper parts of the opposite inclined edge portions forming an obtuse angle between them and the lower part of such adjacent edge portions forming a vertical acute angular space between them antifriction roller means mounted on said carrier and adapted, on downward movement thereof relatively to said fulcrum pin, to act first against said oppositely inclined upper parts of the inclined edge portions of the lever and move them apart so as to cause the lower ends of the levers to move into their closed positions and then to enter the vertical acute angular space between the edge portions of the l ver and cause the gripping levers to grip a rope, and means adapted, upon upward movement thereof relatively to said fulcrum pin t move the levers into their open and inoperative positions.

7. In a load carrier of the type herein re- 1 ferred to for an aerial ropeway rope gri ping mechanism comprising a pair of gripping levers a fulcrum pin for said levers fr-e to move in a vertical direction relatively to said carrieiu said levers having adj acent gripping jaws below said fulcrum pin and adjacent oppositely inclined edge portious above said fulcrum pin the upper parts of the opposite inclined edge portions forming an obtuse angle between them and the lower part of such adjacent edge portions forming a. vertical acute angular space between them, antifriction roller means mounted on said carrier and adapted, on downward movement thereof relatively to said fulcrum pin to act first against said oppositely inclined upper parts of the inclined edge portions of the lever and move them apart so as to cause the lower ends of the levers to move into their closed posiassen tions and then to enter the vertical acute ai'igular space between the edge portions of the lever and cause the gripping levers to grip a rope and abutment means mounted on said carrier, adapted, upon upward movement of the carrier relatively to said fulcrum pin, to act against and cause the levers to become disengaged from the rope.

8. in a load carrier of the type herein referred to "for an aerial ropeway, rope gripping mechanism comprising a pair ot gripping levers, a fulcrum pin for said levers mounted with its axes in a longitudinal verti :al plane capable of moving in a vertical direction relatively to said carrier and oi. oscillating in a longitudinal vertical plane said levers having lower jaws adapted to grip a rope between them and upper oppositely inclined edge surfaces, means on said carrier adapted, on downward movement thereof relatively to said fulcrum pin to act between and against the oppositely inclined edge surfaces of the levers and cause the levers to move into their closed and operative positions and abutment means on said carrier adapted, upon upward movement of said carrier relatively to said 'lulcrum pin to act against outer edge surfaces of the levers and cause the levers to move into their open and inoperative positions.

9. In a load carrier of the type herein refered to, for an aerial ropeway, rope gripping mechanism comprising a pair of gripping levers, a fulcrum pin for said levers mounted with its axes in a longitudinal vertical plane and capable of moving in a vertical direction relatively to said carrier a box like part mounted to oscillate in a longitudinal direction on said carrier and supporting said fulcrum pin, said levers having lower gripping jaws adapted to grip a rope between them and upper oppositely inclined adjacent edge surfaces arranged to form between their upper portions an obtuse angle and between their lower portions an acute angle, antifriction roller means on said carrier adapted on downward movement of the carrier relatively to the fulcrum pin, to first act against the upper portions of the oppositely inclined edge surfaces of the lovers to move the lovers into their closed position and then to act against the lower oppositely inclined surfaces of the levers to cause the levers to grip a rope between their lower ends or jaws and abutment means on the carrier adapted, on upward movement of the carrier relatively to the fulcrum pin, to act against external edge surfaces of the levers and move the levers into their open and inoperative positions.

10. F or an aerial ropeway, a load carrier comprising a pair of longitudinal parallel members one of which is provided with a box like part and the other of which is pr vided with bearings for a load hanger, transverse spindles connecting said longitudinal members, sheaves mounted on said spindles, a secondary box like part arranged outside of and adapted to move vertically in relation to the first mentioned or inner boX like part and provided with lower bearings, a spindle carried by the inner boxlike part and extending into vertical slots in the outer boxlike part, a fulcrum pin mounted in said bearings and extending transversely below the inner box like part, a pair of gripping levers mounted on said fulcrum pin and having their upper ends extending into the inner be like part and formed with oppositely inclined edge surfaces, the upper portions of the respective surfaces forming an obtuse angular space between them and the lower portions of said surfaces forming between them an acute angular space, a longitudin ally arranged pin carried by the inner lOOX- lilre part, antifriction rollers carried by said pin and adapted to act against the inner oppositely inclined ,edge surfaces of the levers to move the levers into their closed operative positions when the carrier is moved upward relatively to the fulcrum pin and longitudinally arranged pins carried by the inner box-like part and adapted to act against the outer edges of the levers and move the levers into their open and inoperative positions,

Signed at London, England, this 12th day of May, 1922.

LUCY JANE ROE, Emecutm'm of said John Pearce Roe, de-

ceased. 

